IN LOVING MEMORY OF
THERESA LIM CHIN CHIN
THERESA LIM CHIN CHIN
Theresa Lim Chin Chin was born on 31 July 1956. She is pictured here in her mother’s arms, with her brother Peter with their father. Her father was Lim Hooi, who was a Chinese school headmaster and her mother was Bonaventure Seng. They lived in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh. Chin Chin has a younger sister, Elizabeth.
Chin Chin as a teenager
1973 – SMJK Assunta, PJ – Malaysia Certificate of Education – Pure Science
1975 – SMJK St. Michaels, Ipoh – Higher School Certificate HSC Science (Biology)
1979 – Asian Social Institute, Manila – Bachelor of Science, Social work BSSW
1983 – Asian Social Institute, Manila – Master of Science, Social Work MSSW
1989 – ICL Training, Malaysia - Diploma in Computer Studies - Distinction
1990 – ICL Training, Malaysia - Higher Diploma in Computer Studies - Distinction
2009– Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies, Faculty of Theology, Delhi - Theology -Do it yourself
Assunta Secondary Convent School
PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR
Theresa Lim Chin Chin is an exceedingly pleasant and well-mannered pupil, cheerful and obliging ever ready to offer her help or co-operate. Academically she has proved intelligent, hardworking and persevering.
Selfless and untiring in her dedication to duty, she has admirable qualities of leadership the confidence to lead, a sense of justice and fair mindedness, sound moral values and initiative.
She has sympathy and consideration for others and does not take things for granted. To her teachers she has shown respect and gratitude. Those who know her are fortunate.
I wish her every success and God’s blessing on all her undertakings.
- from the Guru Besar
St. Michaels Institution
IPOH, PERAK
In our Sixth Form group of 1974/75 Theresa Lim stood out as a person of outstanding quality. She has a character distinguished by integrity, good sense and an excellent community spirit. She is also very intelligent, possessing a clear penetrating mind and an ability to express herself fluently and logically.
She made a very valuable contribution to class lessons by being a live wire during discussion sessions, making stimulating contributions to the debate. She has a good knowledge of current affairs and her written English is well beyond the average for sixth formers.
She is also a very good science student, bringing to her work a clear brain, and an unshakable determination to succeed.
She contributed very well to the general life of the school as a leader in the Catholic Society. She is a very good mixer because she is interested in people and has a very friendly, outgoing disposition. She is healthy and active in games. In school she played badminton, netball and hockey.
We recommend her enthusiastically as a young lady who is likely to do very well in higher studies and make an outstanding contribution to society in her career.
- from the Brother Director
During her Form Six Chin Chin would come riding her motorbike for morning mass at the Chuch of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ipoh Garden every morning. She became an active member in the church youth group and prepared children for the procession on the parish feast day.
Chin Chin later became the parish secretary. Then she went and joined the National Office for Human Development in the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.
Trained as a television producer in Kuang Chi, Korea, Chin would return to Ipoh on weekends and work doing TV productions with the Perpetual Help Communication Centre, PHCC of which she was a founder member.
She became very actively involved in training the youth with YCW, the Young Christian Workers, and in training programmes on social issues. This movement was founded by Joseph Cardijn in 1925 around the methodology of ‘See, Judge, Act.” The NOHD building is called Cardijn House. As Christians they were called to look at reality through the eyes of Jesus, judge based on the Gospel values and act on the principles of social justice for integral human development.
Asian Theatre Form, an international workshop on theatre arts | Tokyo, Japan | Aug - Sep 1983
Training for Trainers in Theatre Arts | Seremban, Malaysia | Aug 1981
Basic Human Relations Trainer Development Program | Quezon City, Philippines | Mar - Apr 1979
Approaches to Human Development | Manila, Philippines | Jun - Jul 1978
Appreciation and Use of the Mass Media | Calcutta, India | May - Jun 1976
Production of Sound Slide Montages | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1975
"Women and Employment", Kuala Lumpur, 16-17 April 1984 organised by the University Women's Association and sponsored by the Asia Pacific Development Centre.
"Common Religious Values in Nation Building", Kuala Lumpur, 7 April 1984 organised by the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism.
"Towards Improving the Quality of Living and Working Conditions in the Eighties", Morib, 8-11 December 1983 organised by the Young Christian Workers Movement, Majlis Belia Malaysia and Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan.
"Asian Women and the Struggle for Justice", Bombay, October-November 1983 organised by the Asia Partnership for Human Development.
"Arms Race", Penang, July 1983 organised by Aliran Kesedaran Negara.
"Peninsular Consultation on Church and Development", K.L., July 1983 organised by the National Office for Human Development.
"Church and Labour", Hong Kong, March 1983 organised by the Centre for the Progress of peoples.
"Modernisation and National-Cultural Identity", Kuala Lumpur, January 1983 organised by the Malaysian Social Science Association.
"Non-Formal Education and Total Human Development", Cameron Highlands, November 1982 organised by the Non-Formal Desk of the Education Commission of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conference.
"Networking on Human Rights", Hong Kong, October-November 1982 organised by the Centre for the Progress of Peoples
"Appropriate Technology, Culture and Lifestyle in a Development", Penang, 3-7 November 1981 organised by Institut Masyarakat Berhad.
"Industrial Safety and Occupational Health", Kuala Lumpur, 21-23 August 1981 organised by the Young Christian Workers Movement, Majlis Belia Malaysia and Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan.
"The Law and the Malaysian Consumer", Kuala Lumpur, 11-13 May 1981 organised by the Federation of Malaysian Consumers' Association.
"Evaluation Meeting of the Broederlijk Delen – Vastenaktie Exposure Programme in Asia and of the Asia Partnership for Human Development Exposure Programmes", Kuala Lumpur, 16-22 March 1981 organised by Broederlijk Delen and Vastenaktie.
"Economics, Development and the Consumer", Penang, 17-22 November 1980 organised by the Consumers' Association of Penang
Aliran Kesedaran Negara
Alternative Culture Programme
Research and Investigation
Social Education
Women
Perpetual Help Communication Centre
Video Production and Editing
Sound Slide Production
Bi-monthly Magazine
Community Service Group
Weekly Literacy Classes
Women's Aid Organisation
Malaysian Social Science Association
Selangor Hokkien Association
For her Masters degree she prepared her thesis spending time with the people in the plantation sector comprising the economic, political and socio-cultural context of Malaysia and came up with a descriptive study of the community organisation process of the Koperasi Kredit Rakyat Berhad, in Batang Berjuntai, Selangor, Malaysia.
When Chin returned to Malaysia, she was well equipped and highly motivated to put her principles to action.
As the national coordinator of Young Christian Workers (YCW), Chin moved around different parishes training young people in 1969. Unfortunately, without full support of the clergy the movement began to decline.
Chin had a passion for equality and justice for women. She was with Women’s Development Collective (WDC) responsible for capacity building and training projects related to sexual harassment, rape, child sexual abuse and women in leadership. It was instrumental in forming a Joint Action Group against Violence Against Women which highlighted the lack of legal and social protections for women. This was a stepping stone in the formation of the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM).
AWAM aims to create a society where all persons, particularly women, are treated equally. This includes advocating for policy changes to ensure women's rights and gender equality. Empowering women, facilitating social transformations, and supporting women facing crisis situations are other objectives of the organization. Chin Chin was involved in all of this as a founder member of AWAM.
She was a founder member of the Society for Christian Reflection (SCR). She was an active founder member also of Aliran. She also worked with the Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM).
Chin Chin was struck, at a young age, with a devastating blow when she was detained under the ISA in Operation Lalang perpetrated by a megalomaniac. She was tortured with solitary confinement and her detention was extended to seven months in Kamunting.
When I tell people that Chin Chin was arrested under the ISA, their immediate response is “Oh, what did she do?” In their mind they think she must have committed a crime to be arrested by the police. Most Malaysians don’t know of Operation Lalang or have a short memory regarding socio-political issues in the country.
- Dave Anthony
Chin Chin had just returned from a meeting in Pakistan the day before. The Star paper reporter called me asking for a photo of Chin. I sent him the first one I could find and it was not a good picture. The next day the Star carried a cover page on the detention.
The Star and two other newspapers, Chinese press Sin Chew Jit Poh and Malay press Watan, were suspended. Within a few days 109 people from various walks of life were arrested under the ISA, the Internal Security Act.
A short description of the political crisis of the time might put this episode in context.
Politicians from MCA, PAS, DAP and even UMNO were arrested, Chinese educationalists, church workers, religious groups, academicians, trade unionists and social activists were also included to show that Mahathir was not targeting any one particular group. He banned public rallies and assemblies. He blamed them all for exciting racial and religious tension without specifying.
The main line news media was controlled by the government and they splashed the whole story of the swoop by Mahathir as a heroic timely action to quell an impending national disaster like that of the racial riots of May 13 1969.
The press and the radio and TV channels were full of news raising racial and religious issues creating tension without offering clear substantial reasons by anyone on what had contributed to the tension. When the IGP was asked on what charges were the people arrested all he could say was that they were investigating. It was ‘arrest first and find fault later.’ He said he will give the reasons later. The ISA is detention without trial.
People were perplexed on what this national disaster was. The Inspector General of Police said the situation was tense and they had to act to prevent chaos, taking full responsibility for the action declaring that it was not politically motivated.
The press reported quoting all and sundry political leaders pouring accolades on Mahathir for his quick action to defuse the tension. What tension?? Leaders who we thought to have had some calibre of leadership all bowed down to worship the leader of power. East Malaysian leaders like Pairin Kittingan, MCA, MIC, Gerakan and other party leaders, all were full of praises for Mahathir. Anwar Ibrahim, then the Minister of Education praised Mahathir for acting decisively at the right moment to save the country from chaos. What chaos?
Mahathir explained in parliament that the DAP was responsible for stirring up racial issues. In fact, it was the MCA, the component party of Barisan Nasional that was dissatisfied with the appointment of principals in Chinese schools who were not proficient in Mandarin. There were several other issues which the media did not elaborate on. Mahathir praised the police for their action as if he had nothing to do with it.
In a two-part documentary on “Operation Lalang,” as it was called. many prominent people were interviewed to find out what was the real issue masqueraded as a threat to national security. Fan Yew Teng, formally with DAP, Gurmit Singh of the Environmental Protection Society, Tan Kah Keng on the Rare Earth Radioactive concerns, Subki Latif of PAS, Chandra Muzafar of Aliran, Fr. Gauthier from the Office for Human Development and others began to elaborate on the real causes for the crack down. Later more evidence emerged from the foreign press in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Japan and Australia.
The interviewees all corroborated that the mass arrests were not a mere police action but a concocted, coordinated political action to save not the insecurity of the country but the insecurity of Mahathir himself. The police come under the Home Ministry and the Home Minister was Mahathir and he was the one who signed all the detention papers even before Operation Lalang was launched. Mahathir was the sole master operative of Operation Lalang.
There were protests from the environmental groups, language groups, the plight of the indigenous groups of East Malaysia, the channelling of funds to UMNO owned developer to construct the North-South Highway etc…etc… which were all used as pretexts for his action.
The main issue was conflict within UMNO in the contest for leadership. Mahathir was challenged by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. UMNO was split into Team A and Team B. In the leadership contest Mahathir narrowly won by 1%.
Mahathir was losing his grip on UMNO. The UMNO youth led by Najib wanted Mahathir’s resignation for not taking firm action against Lee Kim Sai the MCA President. They planned a mammoth rally while 11 Umno members initiated a civil action to declare the Party election null and void. If the 11 were to withdraw their suit then a compromise would be reached to allow Tengku Razaleigh and his supports into government. However, the High Court dismissed the suit by the UMNO 11. The court also ruled that the UMNO General Assembly was a nullity. The High Court decision amounted to declaring UMNO an illegal Society. But the position of the PM and his cabinet was not affected because the government was elected by the people and not the Party, so construed.
Mahathir’s popularity had dipped, his position precarious. This was simmering since April of 1987. He had to orchestrate a crisis on a national scale to save his own security. He planned and executed ‘Operation Lalang,’ using the dreaded Internal Security Act, the ISA.
What better scenario to put before the people than the dreaded memory of the May 13th 1969 racial riots. He hyped a racial and religious tension in the country blaming the Chinese who would destroy the Malays. That spark would be enough to ignite a conflagration. He presented himself as the hero who defused that tension and everyone hailed him as the saviour. He saved his own skin.
Mahathir had no Party, so he cleverly changed the name and retained the substance of the old party by registering the new party as UMNO BARU.
Tengku Razaleigh and his followers split to form another party called SEMANGAT 46.
Semangat 46 did a lot of campaigning and the main media outlets were controlled by UMNO. Videcom, a private production house, was approached to do all his media coverage in different parts of the country.
Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Malaysian Prime Minister was the only dissenting voice condemning Mahathir’s action. The ISA was initiated by the Tunku himself but he said it was meant to be used only against the Communist terrorists and not against civilians.
A lot can be said about Chin Chin’s detention and travails and the farcical habeas corpus court hearings. 18 years after her release Chin Chin wrote her reflection on her arrest and detention, on 46 pages type written on A4 paper. All this for a later publication.
A short statement she made on 3rd December 1988, the year of her release can be read here.
After three weeks in hospital, Lim Chin Chin passed away at 3.30am on 20 July 2025 in the Haematology Ward at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre. She was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a form of cancer, shortly before she died.
Chin Chin had pledged her body towards medical research as part of the Silent Mentor Program. Her body was accepted by Universiti Malaya. As the body had to be processed within eight hours of her death, her body was not present at her Celebration of Life.
Local news outlets had already covered her passing.
⇨ Read the article on Aliran.com
⇨ Read the article on Malaysiakini
⇨ Read the article on The Malay Mail
⇨ Read the article on The Star Online
The celebration of the life of Theresa Lim Chin Chin was meant to be a modest gathering of family and close friends. The turn up at a short notice was overwhelming, more than 150 people, those who had journeyed with her and all those hearts she touched filled the small place to overflowing. The liturgy was simple, followed by a flood of tributes vouching for her tenacious pursuit of social justice.
The following are excerpts of the Liturgy conducted as part of Chin Chin's Celebration of Life
Beloved family, friends, and community, we gather today in the spirit of solemn remembrance and joyful celebration to honour the life of Theresa Lim Chin Chin – a beacon of justice, love and resilient spirit. In this sacred space, we hold tenderly the memories of a loving wife, a devoted mother, a tireless activist, and a pioneering feminist. Though our hearts grieve her absence, our spirits are uplifted by the legacy of love, justice, and courage she has left behind. May this moment be a sanctuary for memory, gratitude and collective strength. Let us take a quiet moment to be present, to breathe in gratitude for having journeyed alongside Chin Chin, and to commit ourselves to carrying forward the flame she ignited in so many.
Holy Presence, Spirit of Compassion and Justice,
Enter our midst as we remember Chin Chin.
Open our hearts to the legacy we mourn and celebrate today.
May your light illumine our grief,
Your peace soothe our sorrow,
And your wisdom inspire us to live boldly,
As Chin Chin did—undaunted and unashamed.
Let the stories we share today kindle in us
A deeper commitment to love, to serve,
And to honour the dignity of every person.
Chin Chin lived boldly. She dared to speak when silence was demanded. She mothered and mentored with grace. She carried hope through hardship and turned wounds into wisdom. Though detained, her mind was never imprisoned; though tested, her courage never wavered. She walked ahead so others could walk free.
We remember Chin Chin not only for the roles she played, but for the boundaries she broke and the voices she encouraged. She stood steadfast in the face of adversity, speaking up for the voiceless, and empowering those around her to claim their rightful place in family, in society, and in history.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” Chin Chin’s life was a living testament to this truth. Her activism was rooted in empathy, her feminism was grounded in justice, and her love was broad enough to embrace all who crossed her path.
Dear Dave, Daniel and Joel, thank you for sharing Chin's life with us. We are truly blessed to be her friend and she will always remain a part of me/us. Take good care and I hope we can be in touch once in a regular while. God Bless Always.
- Cecilia Ng
Thank you all for coming.
Theresa Lim Chin Chin is no more. We only have images and cherish fond memories of her. This is not a wake but a celebration of her life. She lived an eventful life of contribution to society with a deep conviction of social justice until it was cut short by physical disabilities and brought, all too soon, to an abrupt end.
She worked as a parish secretary, then with the National Office for Human Development. She went and did her Masters in Social science and Social Work. She championed Women’s rights with WDC and AWAM and MWMT. She was an active in YCW and an active member of PHCC, The Perpetual Help Communication Centre in Ipoh.
She was struck with a devastating blow when she was detained under the ISA in Operation Lalang perpetrated by a megalomaniac. She was tortured with solitary confinement and her detention was extended to seven months in Kamunting.
After she was released, she put her life back together, studying IT and went into the corporate sector and brilliantly rose up the ladder working in KLSC, Ericsson, Hewlet Paccard, Vads while continuing her social activism.
We got married and raised a family with two sons Daniel and Joel of whom she was immensely proud. She was a beautiful wife and an excellent mother. She set very high standards for the family.
Chin became afflicted with a number of extremely rare and incurable ailments.
Neuromyotonia and Myastenia Gravis affected her nerves and muscles. The muscles in her body were constantly twitching. She had Lupus or SLE and Diabetes. She had lost one eye with extremely low vision in the other. She became a constant visitor to the hospital which she referred to as her second home. Despite her disabilities she did the housekeeping and the household chores which we took for granted. Now we realize regrettably and appreciate her contribution to the family.
When she became very sick, we took her to the emergency on the 25th of last month and she was admitted. As the doctors were trying to determine the cause of her illness she said to me, “Dave, I am dying.” I said to her “Chin, think of living.” But, she knew better.
Her life became a painful journey. She was no longer her vibrant self. She did not complain. She lived a simple life and touched the hearts of countless people who came to know her. The tremendous boost in her life was to be able to see and lavish her love upon her two grandsons, Luke and Liam. Her final contribution to society was her body to the advancement of medical science. That is why this is not a wake. Daniel will explain this process.
We miss her presence terribly and feel the emptiness within.
Healing, I believe, will come slowly and gradually with time but the scar will remain.
In the morning Chin would talk to her plants and flowers especially to her pink hibiscus. She was close to Nature.
It is Nature that has embraced her being and we will try to learn to recognise the beauty of her life reflected in the positive forces of Mother Nature.
If you are reading this in the context of other tributes, obituaries and dedications to her, then Lim Chin Chin needs no introduction.
Instead, allow me to tell you about the strongest person I know - My mother.
I've had many arguments with my mother, just like most people have. Just because she's strong does not mean she's perfect. We've said hurtful things to each other in our lifetimes. As human beings, we are emotional creatures. Even the most rational among us can still be swayed by strong emotions.
Just a week before her passing, while mum was in the hospital, I had a chance to ask her if I was a good son. This is a question that most people don't get to ask their mothers. She replied, lucidly, with a "yes". It was on that day, at that moment, when every hurtful thing she had ever said to me, dissolved from my memory for they were no longer relevant nor significant and never will be anymore.
I am the luckiest person in the world to have Lim Chin Chin as my mother - and Dave Anthony as my father.
I am also a living, breathing piece of Lim Chin Chin. As such, I will strive to be a continuation of her love in this wretched world.
I grew up with mum's mother in our house. Years after her arrest - of course I was not born yet when she was detained under the ISA , out of an abundance of caution and compassion, grandma would try to persuade Chin Chin to stop going for gatherings and meetings, telling her that she's going to end up in jail again.
That means mothers' love has been significantly present in my family and is a priceless heirloom that has been passed down. With that love came another gem from Chin Chin - her forgiveness.
She could forgive all the hurtful moments in our life together. Even in 2018, despite having been jailed, berated and tortured under the regime of a certain nonagenarian, she found it in her heart to tell me and my father to give him a chance to run Malaysia.
Although that did not go very well, the politics of the situation are secondary to the love and forgiveness that Chin Chin had to be able to forgive someone who had thrown her into Solitary Confinement. It stems from a deep love that mum had for not just me, her family, her friends, her children and grandchildren but also for her country - tanah tumpah darahku.
Chin Chin is a true activist. She is true to her cause. She stands by it. She is a stark contrast to today's keyboard warriors and netizens. She was an activist through thick and thin. She did not surrender because it became difficult, adversarial or dangerous. She did not run at the first sight of turmoil for she taught us all that this path is not an easy one but a struggle - and struggle she did.
Before it was "cool" to go out and be an "activist", before social media let us post selfies of wearing yellow shirts while protesting, Chin Chin was there. She was at the first BERSIH rally, true to its call for free and fair elections in Malaysia despite being teargassed.
She was part of the pioneering war cry while the newspapers painted the picture of a bunch of yellow-clad hooligans running amok in KL. So, when that day came for both me and my brother to cast our very first ballot in 2018, Malaysia saw its first change of power since independence.
Chin Chin later found it increasingly challenging to go for demonstrations. Her difficulty with walking and fading eyesight pulled her away from the front line but it did little to dampen her spirit.
In health, she was dealt a cruel hand of rotten cards. She could have thrown them down at any point of time in the past - and we all would have understood why. Yet, Chin Chin did not give up until her final card - Stage IV Lymphoma, which is what took her away from us.
It is wrong to say Chin Chin never complained. It is not to say she never felt like giving up. Her hurt and suffering was real so let us not invalidate it. She instead expressed herself to her closest friends whom she trusted. She did not bother with broadcasting her grievances. Those closest to her were the only ones who truly knew and even saw her pain and suffering. As her family members, she actually once told us that she had considered euthanasia.
Saying that someone is strong is so easy. It takes multitudes more effort to recognise someone who is humbly weak - and also to act on it. Just because the strong don't show their weaknesses does not mean that their weaknesses do not exist. We all have weaknesses. No one is perfect - and Chin Chin reminds us that we are all mortal.
All of us including you who are reading this right now, come from different walks of life and have different concepts and notions of what comes next - what comes beyond our transient presence here on earth. It is an unknown variable for all of us regardless of belief. However, we are here - present and alive. Chin Chin lives on through us, in our hearts.
I ask to cherish all the memories you have of her and with her. Everything you did with her, continue to do it even in her physical absence. Remember the joy, the pain, the ups and downs, the victories and the defeats.
Never stop thinking about Chin Chin. Never forget Chin Chin and what she brought us. Never forget the friendships she forged, the connections she made, the relationships that exist today because of her. This is the Eternal Life that is now upon us to grant unto her. I ask that we keep her name alive in conversations, whether in word of mouth or on the internet. If we are but servants of God, this is but our latest assignment.
We owe this to Chin Chin for the light and love she gave us - for that light came from a place of near darkness that she had to live in almost every day as her eyesight was fading from Renititis Pigmentosa, and the love that blossomed despite the pain that she endured as a result of Neuromyotonia and her barrage of other auto-immune diseases.
So long as we keep that light alive, I know it will continue to inspire us to persevere and never give up in our struggles.
Thank you all for being here today to celebrate the life of a remarkable woman - a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a friend.
There are many ways to describe mum, but if I had to choose three words to honour her legacy, they would be strength, success, and sincerity. These weren't just traits she possessed - they were the foundation of how she lived, loved and inspired those around her.
Firstly, strength.
It's easy to be strong when we have our youth, our health and our wealth. But to be strong - when you can no longer see, when your fingers and feet no longer work the way they once did, and when your body is burdened by pain and illness - that is something entirely different. That was mum.
Even as lupus, diabetes. blindness, arthritis and eventually cancer took more and more from her physically, they never broke her spirit. She continued to show up, to fight, to love and to laugh. It taught all of us that courage is found not in ease, but in endurance. Being sick did not stop her from travelling often to Melbourne, to ensure she maintained a relationship with her grandchildren. Mum attended milestone events such as their births, baptism and Christmas celebrations.
She flew AirAsia too which took strength even for a healthy person.
Now for success - mum was a self-made woman, carving out her path with grit, intelligence and resilience. She built a successful career within a technical field in the corporate world during an era where it would have been especially challenging for a woman to do so. Her hard work was motivated by her desire to provide the best for her family - and the best she did provide.
But perhaps her greatest success wasn't just in her career or her financial wisdom - it was in the way she held our family together. She was our cornerstone.
The one who made sure we stayed connected. The one who remembered birthdays, bridged differences, and made everyone feel like they belonged - Her presence grounded us. Her love united us. And her legacy will keep us close, even now.
Last but not least, sincerity.
Mum was sincere in every part of her life - honest In her words and steadfast in her values. If I am being truthful, mum had a fierce kind of love which sometimes involved shouting and running after all of us at home. I think most people here know that she was strong in her views and strict in her ways. During my teenage years, we often clashed - both in opinions but also in personality - Perhaps I was a little too much like my mum in that respect. However, as a father today, I could see the sincerity in her actions and that it all came from a place of love. I should also add that she has mellowed greatly with age, never once raising her voice with her grandchildren - demonstrating patience that I never knew existed within her.
To lose her is deeply painful - but to have known her, to have been loved by her is an extraordinary privilege.
The Anthony Family
From friends and organisations
A dedicated founding member of AWAM, All Women’s Action Movement, and friend, Chin Chin brought unwavering solidarity, verve, and heart to AWAM and human rights movements at large.
Chin Chin will also be remembered for her compassion and firm yet gentle approach. As AWAM's former honorary treasurer, she kept us in check - ensuring that good governance was not just preached but practiced.
Being a woman of faith, she always sought to question some of the ways girls and women were unfairly treated within the realm of religion. This led her and other astute women at AWAM to co-ordinate a programme and training manual on the Politicisation of Ethnicity Religion, which remains a pressing issue today.
Ultimately, Chin Chin reminds us to believe and go all in with a cause; to rise against injustice and take a stance together. May she continue to inspire generations to bring positive change to our world.
Rest in Peace and Power
In celebration of what would've been her 69th birthday, we're dedicating this month's Feminist of the Month to wife, mother, activist, feminist, and friend Lim Chin Chin.
In the mid-1970s, Lim Chin Chin was the national coordinator of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement, working closely with Maureen and the team.
As a committed leader, she mobilised and radicalised youths through the lens of liberation theology – drawing strength and purpose from the Bible in the fight for justice.
I was deeply moved by her grassroots activism and the powerful way she mobilised workers. Once, I met her shortly after her 1988 release from detention without charge under the Internal Security Act (repealed in 2012). Her body was weak, but her spirit remained unbroken.
She told me how the authorities had repeatedly asked: “Who is Saras, and what is she doing?”
Despite the torture she endured, Chin Chin never revealed my name. She did this out of deep concern. She did not want me to be detained under the same draconian law and risk having my activism crushed.
Together, we travelled by motorbike to rural towns, meeting workers without a moment’s hesitation.
There were days when the workers failed to turn up for meetings, and I would begin to doubt our efforts.
But Chin Chin never wavered. She would always say, “We shouldn’t give up.”
I often wondered where her inner strength came from – what drove her relentless commitment to organising workers.
When I was very young, my orthodox family often tried to stop me from meeting her. Chin Chin was ethnic Chinese, and my family viewed her with suspicion, questioning why she was so involved in my life.
But our bond and shared mission in the YCW movement gave me strength to resist. From 1970 to 1980, the YCW grew into a powerful workers’ movement, organising strikes and pickets across the textile, food and machinery industries to highlight workers’ issues.
Many worker leaders were arrested by the police. Yet the movement never crumbled. Instead, it evolved, turning its focus toward community organising.
Few remember or speak of the YCW’s noble struggle today. But the seeds of resistance and solidarity that Chin Chin helped sow live on.
Chin Chin is no longer with us, but I am a grassroots organiser today because of her. It was through the YCW that we learned to recognise and fight the injustices faced by the working class. We eventually chose our own paths, but our struggle remained rooted in that foundation.
Her thoughts and interventions on grassroots organising still burn brightly in my life. Even today, I continue organising hospital cleaners – workers at the margins, often forgotten – just as Chin Chin taught us: with courage, dignity and unshakeable solidarity.
Today, my tears fall for you, dear Chin Chin. Rest in peace.
My deepest condolences to comrade Anthony and your beloved sons.
In solidarity and love.
Dear Dave and friends,
Thanks for your invitation as you celebrate God's blessings for Chin Chin with family and friends. My friendship with her 50 year beginning in Our Lady of Perpetual Help and in our journey together in the Asian Social Institute Manila and the National Office for Human Development are not just memories to recall but moments to cherish of a person who has left us but someone who has left with us a precious gift of what it is to Human...Yes, Chin Chin in her simplicity without airs, humility without the egoism proved to us that the celebration of life was for her giving of herself to others and with others.
Yes, it is with sadness and pain in our hearts that we have to let her leave us, but her gentle love still lingers in our depths because true love born from authenticity can never be uprooted. I have seen your life for others and to grow with others in true friendships.
We who have been touched by Chin Chin and her life have a reason to celebrate her life as a gift to humanity. Chin Chin's life for me was Fully Human Fully Alive. I want to keep these memories sacred and continue with Hope for a New Humanity for All.
Thanks, Chin Chin, for being a part of our lives and a true beautiful blessing to so many people.
Alas, it is time for me to say a Final Farewell to a very good friend who just passed away at the age of 68, and who has been a great inspiration to me in how she had so faithfully and dedicatedly lived out the Christian calling of Social Justice, Action and Mission.
I do not see it as a loss for I know she will live on in the God-given and great legacy she has left behind. She has touched the lives of countless women and inspired many to join her on the road less travelled!
Goodbye for now dear Theresa and thank you for being such an invaluable friend and amazing example to me of a life lived for others! May you rest in the sweet, loving and eternal embrace of the Lord!
For Chin Chin
In Loving Memory and a Tribute from a friend
We met for the first time in early 1986 at a MWMT meeting. I had just arrived in Asia from Sweden to work on theological issues, especially regarding women.
At once we connected and our 40-year journey together begun!
Over the years we have talked, shared, both rewards and challenges, and dialogued, and many were the questions raised. Chin Chin, you became not only my friend but also my mentor and guide, and I was amazed by your compassion, intelligence, analytical ability and humour.
I became a member of your family embraced by David, your mother and you entrusted me to be the godmother of your children. There was always a place for me in PJ and together we enjoyed wonderful moments of friendship and spicy, delicious food, cooked either by David or local hawker’s centres and restaurants.
Chin Chin, you have touched many people’s lives, including mine, until the very last days we talked. Right now, I am struggling to find new ways to continue our journey together. Your legacy is with David, Daniel, Joel and your grandchildren but also with your many friends and all the memories you leave behind. You are immortal dearest Chin Chin!
IMMORTALITY
Do not stand
By my grave, and weep
I am not there,
I do not sleep
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle, autumn rain.
As you awake with morning's hush,
I am the swift, up-flinging rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the day transcending night.
Do not stand
By my grave, and cry
I am not there,
I did not die.
I actually got to know chin for many, many years.
We knew each other way back when we were doing feminist theology together. And then from Awam, and I also got to know her at that point when she was working in the corporate world, and then she was very much involved with the women's organisation. Later, when she was inflicted with illness that was just so debilitating. Chin, as we all know was really, very active, not only in her mind, but in everything, in all her actions. And slowly this illness began to hit her.
So, I for myself, witnessed her from a person who was a doer, very much out there doing things, to a person who slowly lost the ability to do in action, but she remained, and she continued in spite of all these physical illnesses and, of course, being a fighter, she wanted to fight it.
But eventually she came to a point where she accepted what was happening in her body. And when she began to accept what was happening, she actually calmed down, and she became something very different. The deeper, compassionate self, the other aspect of her life, just grew. So, for myself and a few of us who around her, we witnessed the active doer transform to just being present, being very humble, in the simplicity of her life and her laughter and to enjoy just the simple things in Life.
In remembrance of Lim Chin Chin
First Among Equals
By Chee Heng Leng
Chin Chin and I were friends for over 40 years. I remember first knowing Chin in the early 1980s when we were fellow volunteers in a women workers’ educational outreach programme in Sentul. Later, together with many others, we founded WDC, Women’s Development Collective, and AWAM, All Women’s Action Society. In 1987, we were detained in Operation Lalang. Four of us women—Chin Chin, Cecilia, Irene Xavier, and myself found ourselves put together in the same building in the Kamunting detention camp.
Chin Chin was first among equals in many ways. But let me reflect on just three:
First is the way of service. Chin was selfless in her giving. She gave her time and her life to the service of people. She did this while understanding that service alone is not sufficient, and she worked alongside her peers to challenge the structures of oppression and injustice. She did this with courage and bravery, often times leading the way.
Second is the way of clarity and steadfastness. Chin had a very clear moral compass. When we as a collective were called upon to make difficult decisions, she would be guided by the clarity of what is right and what is wrong. Firm and steadfast, she did not hesitate to call out conflicts of interest, however minor or slight, or transgressions, however unwitting. It was with this clarity that she led and lighted the path for us. In her later years, she continued to lead. I see this in AWAM’s 21st July 2025 Facebook posting that Chin Chin, compassionate, firm, yet gentle, “…. kept us in check—ensuring that good governance was not just preached but practiced.”
Third is the way of perseverance. Chin told me once—not in a self-pitying, but in a matter-of-fact way—that she never had things easy in life, that she always had to work extra hard to get what she wanted. Upon reflection, I think her self-understanding was quite accurate. Chin was always clear what her goals were and she would unceasingly struggle to achieve her goals until she succeeded. Whether in carrying on with the mundane tasks of community work, creating a family, or carving out a second career in IT after detention, Chin Chin kept faith, and worked hard, and succeeded.
In her last years, Chin faced her many health problems, one after another, with courage, fortitude, resilience, patience, grace, and even humour. I daresay that for many of us—those of us who were her friends, comrades, and fellow travellers, and who are ourselves now facing our own health problems—for us, Chin Chin again showed us the way. For having known Chin Chin and travelled alongside her, I shall always be grateful.
I know many want to speak, so I will touch on just one epochal time in her life.
When I look back on Chin’s life, a Central Moment was that night in 1987 when she was arrested under the ISA.
On reflection, what had led up to that moment & what had occurred after her release, speaks much of the kind of life she had led, specifically her unceasing pursuit of justice.
In the mid-1980s, after I had graduated from UM, with some fellow graduates, we created a group called ‘Christians for Justice’. Chin & Dave joined this group.
One thing most of us had in common was that we had been exposed to Liberation Theology. This theology focused on the plight of the oppressed, calling on people of the Christian faith to make an Option for the Poor. Apart from discussing Liberation Theology, we were actively discussing the numerous problems in the country & in the world. In Malaysia, Mahathir, after promising change in 1981, was becoming more authoritarian in his form of governance.
In the global economy, we were witnessing the rise of Neoliberalism, an economic idea which deeply empowered private capital. As for workers & trade unions, they had to be suppressed to support private capital, resulting in further exploitation of labor.
Among us Catholics, we were worried about Pope John Paul’s move to curb the spread of Liberation Theology & the implications of this on the Church. One outcome of all these issues, concurrently occurring, was a contestation between, on one hand, the state and its policies that supported private capital &, on the other hand, a society, comprising also deeply oppressed workers.
The first incident of this state-society conflict occurred in Singapore.
In May 1987, 22 people, including Catholics inspired by Liberation Theology & those associated with the Young Christian Workers movement were arrested under the ISA. The government said they were part of a ‘Marxist conspiracy’. Lee Kuan was clear about his intent. He said he ‘wanted to nip in the bud’ this struggle for social justice. By this time, our group, Christians for Justice, was meeting regularly & most of us were part of the Support Group that was created to support the ISA detainees in Singapore. We were worried that similar arrests would occur in Malaysia.
And yet, when it did occur later that year in October, we were shocked. Included in the arrest of over a 100 people were Chin & her close friends, Cecilia Ng, Chee Heng Leng, & Bro Anthony Rogers. As in the case of Singapore, Chin was closely associated with the Young Christian Workers movement in her young days in Ipoh.
Chin was questioned about her ties with YCW, a movement that supported workers, helping to set up trade unions to stand up to private capital, especially foreign multinationals that were exploiting them.
I remember well those dark days when Chin was detained. In spite of her detention, I recall Dave reading a letter from Chin to him. She was not thinking about herself, but asking Dave to watch over her mother & to take care of himself. I also recall the day she was released. The joy we felt, having her with us again.
But, she spoke little of her detention to us.
And yet, what was most remarkable was how, in spite of her unjustified long detention, she showed no sign of being intimidated by the state. Although she was taken away from her family & from her friends, this did not break her. Although she had to endure a most harrowing experience while under detention, she was clearly still not fearful of the state.
She seemed even more intent to continue her struggle for social justice. But, it was clear to us, her detention deeply traumatized her, something she grappled with right until the end.
I wanted, tonight, to devote some time to this period of her life. Chin was very much a part of this history of activists fighting for justice. She challenged the state, through her work in institutions like YCW, & later, through CCM, where we are now. She was an unsung Malaysian hero.
As for the issues that brought us, this group, together, we had our own struggles. We used to meet regularly at her house, between the mid 1980s until the early 2000s. We were upset with the demise of Liberation Theology which had so inspired us. We were disturbed with the rapid ascendancy of Neoliberalism. And, Mahathir continued to govern Malaysia, in spite of the rise of a reformasi movement.
But, Chin kept telling us not to lose faith; not to give up the struggle. The members of our group have moved on – but we are all still committed to social reforms, carrying with us the lessons we learnt from those dark days of 1987 & 1988. But what we remember most was how, although it was Chin who had suffered the most, it was she who went on actively pursuing the ideas in Liberation Theology that had inspired her since the 1970s.
Today, we celebrate this brave lady, our friend, our sister, who gave all of herself to the pursuit of social justice.
Rest now, Chin. Your legacy to us, the way life should be lived, is a lesson we will carry with us.
I heard a number of you speaking of Chin since you met her. I am privileged to have known her 50 years ago. So, maybe I can tell you a bit about what was she like before you met her. We were in the same school, St Michael’s Institution, in Ipoh. We were in the youth group together. We got to know Dave then. It was a boys school. When we were in form six the girls came in and that opened our eyes. We knew Chin Chin then as Theresa Lim. She was in the next class. She was in science three, I was in science two, and we were active in the Catholic Student Society. I happened to be a prefect at that time, and one day I was on duty at the gate. Late comers will be will have their names recorded, and if you are two or three times late within a month, you'll be punished. And one day Chin, Chin, came late. She drove a small Honda, 65 motorbike, and I was on duty, and I said, “Hey, Chin, Chin, you're late today. You know, you're on a motorbike. You should not be late, you know.” She said, “Oh, you know what, Edmund? Six traffic lights all red today.” Then she smiled with her irresistible smile. I let her go in.
After that, we went our separate ways. I understand she joined the National Office for Human Development, worked with people like father Catel, brother Anthony Rogers, and went down to many places to talk about liberation theology, social analysis, helping people to know that people are poor, not because they are lazy or stupid or don't have money. They are like that because it is the system that has put them in a marginalised position. And to get out of that cycle is not through arms struggle but through the changing of the mind and heart, just like what Jesus did. In her work with the church she would go to many small parishes.
I came from Penang this morning, and from the bus on the Highway, I saw the signs Kampar Bidor, Rawang, and I remember that she must have gone to many of these places, small towns, big towns, to share Christ with them.
I was teaching in Seremban. Sometimes she will drop by and stay overnight. I was staying in my uncle’s house. We had some rooms, and she will stay there, and we will share about our work, and especially her work. I like to listen to her stories, what she was doing at the time.
She will stay with me, I think because the parish priest in Seremban would not know what to do with a 20 year old woman. He can't put her in the parish house, you know. I suppose it must have been quite difficult for her at the time when she travelled to these towns to give sessions, she probably would have to stay with friends or parishioners. Yeah, very much like what we hear in the scriptures. Whichever town or place you enter, stay there and eat whatever they give you. You know she shared that spirit.
So it came as a shock one day when I opened the newspapers and saw that she was detained under the ISA. I was teaching in Taiping at that time, we are so near and yet so far. Didn’t know what to do, scared. Eventually, I decided to send her a Bible. I don't think she ever got it.
So, we continued to meet up after she was released, and talk about work and talk about her children, talk about Dave building a tree house for the children. it came out in the papers. I think she was so proud, yeah, of the two children, especially when Daniel worked in Malaysiakini and the books that Dave wrote.
Coming down alone in a bus. I'm glad I did it. It offered me time to reminisce about what our life, our friendship, our being together since our school days, and listening to how she has inspired so many of you all. I'm very privileged to have known her just like I knew the part of her life before you met her. Now I know the part of her life where you met her so it's complete. I'm glad. I'm glad I'm blessed. So, what I want to say to you Theresa, that's what we call her Theresa, is what we hear in Matthew 25:23, Welcome, my good and faithful servant. Enter into your master's joy.
This is how I got to know Dave and Chin Chin. It was through something called PETA, the Philippines Educational Theatre Association. My wife was an activist in theatre. We got involved in this kind of thing, something very new. She had some back from the Philippines and brought in all this wrong things, you know, like theatre and PETA. Instead of educating people in theatres, they were trying to educate and politicise people. Through them we took this methodology to USM students, to various MCC students in Penang including many of our friends who later on didn’t make is as a theatre person, but at least they came to our workshop.
Hello. I am Pui Yan. I’ve known Chin Chin between 2012 and 2018 during my time in Awam. My review is going to be very brief, because I guess I knew her much shorter than everyone else here. And as you know, chin, chin was one of the very instrumental women in the movement, and she really inspired me, and I saw her as a mentor. When I found out about her passing, I surprised myself at the sadness that came over me.
I guess she touched me more than I had realised. We used to have lunch dates. We would meet up sometimes and talk about disagreements over how things are being handled, but it was all in a very respectful way as friends. I cherished her friendship, even though the disagreements were just generational discussions. So of course, I really looked up to her.
I loved the way she challenged things, and as everyone has shared, she was very true to her principles, and that's what I wanted to learn from her. I can't remember so many of the things that we've exchanged because we worked so hard together in those six, seven years, seeing each other probably every week for the women's movement. But, one of the things I'd like to share that I remember very clearly was during one of our lunches. I was talking to her about the problem I had at work. My boss was threatening me with insubordination. And I was quite concerned about it, quite upset about it, and I was telling her about it, and I said, chin, you know, she's saying that I've got issues with authority. Do I have issues with authority? And her reply was, what's wrong with having issues with authority? That made me feel very vindicated. I guess that's our duty as activists to challenge authority. That made it okay. I just want to share that I really cherish her like all the women here.
Rest in power Theresa Lim Chin Chin.
On Friday night (25 July) we gathered to celebrate Chin Chin’s life. Chin Chin is a women’s rights advocate, a founder member of @awammalaysia and Women’s Development Collective.
In the 80s my activism for women’s human rights was sharpened when in October 1987, four women activists were detained under the dreaded Internal Security Act 1960 that gave power to the state for detention without trial. (The ISA was repealed in 2012). One of these four women was Chin Chin.
Operation Lalang, “Operation Weeding” was a major crackdown undertaken by the Police from 27 October to 20 November 1987, purportedly to prevent the occurrence of race riots in Malaysia. The operation saw the arrest of 106 to 119 people ~ political activists, opposition politicians, intellectuals, students, artists, scientists and others ~ It also saw the revoking of the publishing licenses of two dailies, The Star and the Sin Chew Jit Poh and two weeklies, The Sunday Star and Watan.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad claimed the decision for the operation was taken by the police, and that he, as the Minister of Home Affairs, had to go along with it. But civil society recognised that the operation was executed to control the political opponents of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Operasi Lalang was followed by the 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis the following year.
These were dark days for activism, we lived in fear that any one of us could be taken away in the middle of the night. But we found courage even as we felt fear to carry on. Looking around the room on Friday evening where around 150 people gathered to celebrate Chin Chin’s life, I saw the familiar faces of activists and I remembered with pride that we stood up to authoritarian rule.
Thank you Chin Chin for inspiring me to be an activist who worked not only for women’s rights but for social and political reform.
Dave, Daniel, Joel, I am so very sorry for your loss. But equally happy that Chin is free from her worn body. no more suffering. I am missing her too, my special friend.
Early this morning our friend, fellow walker on the path, passed away after a brave and long bout facing different difficult challenges.
Some of you got to know her as we practised yoga together these last few years. Always willing, always trying, always happy to be there - an inspiration. She is most sorely missed.
From our Yoga Group your mum was a part of. Already so many messages have streamed in...
Chin Chin's Treyoga Classmates
From Chin Chin's Yoga Classmates
"May her soul spirit RIP. She is very brave and faces all her movements without complain."
"Oh .. I am so sad. Chin² said many times how much yoga helped her. She will be missed by many. To her family and friends- condolences."
"Although I know Chin for a short while but I’m already touched by her kindness and willingness, she is an inspiring lady! Rest in peace"
"She was the only one who took the effort to know the names of the poses in Sanskrit!"
"Chin has been a model of inspiration for me as a student of yoga. Despite all her serious multiple health challenges she wanted to do every pose, every stretch, every twist, every asana to the best of her ability. She often told me that the yoga classes are her community & she looked forward to it. She appreciated very much the kindness of her classmates & teachers who always helped her with her bags & bring/put back the props for her. On her behalf I say ribuan terima kasih. I am sad that I have lost a very dear friend."
"It breaks my heart to hear of the Demise of our dear Chin. She was ever positive and cheerful despite the many physical challenges she had to endure.
Chin Chin you will be dearly missed by all your classmates. May the Soul of Chin Chin Rest in Peace."
"It has been a blessing being in the same class with Chin Chin. When I started yoga class at Treyoga in March this year, it was extremely difficult. My body was stiff, in pain and my mind full of complaints.
One day, Chin Chin gently said to me “Cindy, just keep coming to class… it will get better.” I think that was the extent of our conversation during yoga class.
Slowly, I began to observe how Chin Chin made such great effort to be present in yoga class. All my excuses to not turn up for yoga class fell apart.
In class today, I missed Chin Chin’s physical presence but I remember how she practised and I gave my 100%. I am grateful to Chin Chin, for inspiring and teaching me by just being present, in silence.
May peace and love be with you always, Chin Chin. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti."
And one of the simple things that she engaged in in the last part of her life, was to build a community amongst the yoga group.
She was practically blind, yeah, and she would go into our yoga class. A number of our friends are here. And they all bear testimonies of what chin would do. She doesn't talk about what's happening to her. She carries her bag with all the props, you know, and the people, a few of us, will be helping her. But eventually, everyone in our group, when they see her, they will always help.
So, it became a centre where we just supported very quietly, we cared for each other. And it was really beautiful. It was just not a centre where we were doing things, but we were doing acts of love and kindness. And that is what she always does, being very silent, and she just moves in, and she continues to be an inspiration. And today, as I have always told her, I have a deep respect for her, and she has always been an inspiration. And she used to say, what inspiration? What am I doing? You know, but it was just being herself, her true self. And that was really beautiful, from her action of the doer to just being there radiating the total fullness of her life.
The truth is, Chin Chin is our yoga teacher. She basically taught me how to be patient, and also how to teach a blind person yoga. Yeah, she taught me how to give nice instructions. She also taught me how to guide her through, touching her, helping her with some support. So, she is my teacher, and she also urged a lot of people to come to our centre. Through her perseverance she really touched a lot of hearts and really made them work harder. Although she had her shortfall, she really tried her very best, in fact, she was better than a lot of others. Oh yeah, don't give up. Stay inspired.
I am saddened by the passing of Lim Chin Chin, a courageous and principled woman who dedicated her life to fighting for justice and women’s rights in Malaysia.
Like myself, she was detained without trial under the Internal Security Act (already abolished) during Operation Lalang in 1987 — a dark chapter in our nation’s history. Despite the hardships she endured, she never wavered in her convictions and continued to stand up for the oppressed and marginalized.
Her lifelong commitment to justice and equality will never be forgotten. My heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and comrades. May her legacy continue to inspire generations to come. Rest in peace.
RIP MDM LADY
A beautiful lady just
left this world with
grace and a simple
good-bye
As of today
Tender dark clouds merge to spill
tears of respect and
gratitude
For she fulfilled her
wows with love and
sacrifices
Her inner beauty and
smiles shines through
her weather beaten
face
Yet stories .. untold
struggles
unregistered
Nurturing wonderful
children the legacy of
tomorrow
Rest-In-Peace lovely
beautiful lady
We know you will
watch over your
loved ones
Say Hi ...
to parents and
grandparents
Tell them of those
good times together
And they are fine
finding their ways
My dear Dave, terribly sorry to hear of Theresa Lim Chin Chin’s passing. She was a great soul - a fighter for the just cause! Mahathir could not quell her spirit! She was a credit to ALIRAN! Please accept our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences.
She has earned her rest. Please stay strong - that’s what Theresa would expect of you! Take care my dear friend.
From Aliran Members
Subra: My heartfelt condolences to Dave. RIP, Chin Chin.
S. Munirah Alatas, Ph.D.: Deepest condolences to Dave and family.
Veng Wye: Deepest condolences. I remember Chin Chin.
Prema Devaraj: Deepest condolences to Chin Chin's family and friends
Andrew Wong: Deepest condolences to Dave & family.
Haridas Nair: Saddened to hear of her passing. A great soul who will be missed
Mary Magdaline: Deepest condolences to Dave & family. May Chin Chin’s soul rest in eternal peace.
Angeline: Deepest sympathy to Dave Anthony and family. May Chin Chin rest in peace. God bless
Kumar Menon: Deepest sympathies to Dave Anthony and family.
Por Heong Hong: Condolences to Dave and family. May Chin Chin rest in peace.
Evelyn Khor: Deepest condolences to Dave and family. May Theresa’a soul rest in peace and the eternal light shine upon her
Angeline Loh: My condolences to the family of Lim Chin Chin. May she Rest In Peace.
Anil Netto: We remember with deep gratitude her courage in her work and the suffering she endured during Ops Lalang in the quest for justice in our land. May she rest in peace and her legacy live on. On behalf of the Aliran family
Her unwavering spirit will continue to inspire us forward. Rest well Lim, your legacy lives on in our hearts as well as in the fight for justice.
She suffered torture during her detention, especially during the first 60 days of solitary confinement. The trauma left her with an auto-immune disability that left her unwell for many years.
Take good care as we cherish Chin Chin's memory. We will all miss her.
From SMI Scouts
Timothy Chee: My condolences to the family.
Aloysius Goh: May the soul of Chin Chin rest in peace with the Lord. My heartfelt condolences to you and family.
Chan Lek: My heartfelt condolences to you and family. May Chin Chin's soul rest in peace.
Mariadass: My deepest condolences to you and your family.
Dominic: My deepest condolences to you and your family.
Tribute to Dave and family..
I met Chin Chin during the period 1979-82 when I was the CSS full timer/mentor. In 1987, together with Paul Lim and others I was involved in the European campaign seeking the release if ISA detainees. Chin2 life is a life of a fighter and is a beautiful soul. May she safely return home to the Father. May the Lord comfort the family in this very difficult time. Amen.
Dave, just heard about Chin. My deepest condolences to you and the boys. We will miss her so much - cannot imagine what the loss means to you.
Sorry to hear the sad news of Chin Chin . My deepest condolences. May her soul rest in eternal peace
Chin Chin told me when I was young, when hanging on the end of the rope remember to tie a knot so you can hang a bit longer, something I will never forget.
My thoughts and prayers are with Chin, you and the boys, Dave. I hope the universe will be merciful and compassionate in these trying times for you. Indeed, she was a very special friend who is irreplaceable. Can't imagine how much you and the children must be missing her.
Hi Dave. My heartfelt condolences to you for your loss. Chin was such a wonderful person. All of us will miss her and I cannot imagine how much more you and Daniel and Joel will miss her. But she is at peace now. And for that we should be thankful. Take care of yourself.
Chin Chin with her bosom friends, taken 14 March 2025
Universiti Malaysia's Silent Mentor Program is affiliated with the Tzu-Chi University in Taiwan. It is a body donation program that accepts pledges for body donation upon death to benefit medical research and the education of young doctors.
Chin Chin pledged her body to the program in 2021 and informed her family about the procedure. Upon evaluation by the program representatives, her body was accepted and has been placed in deep freeze. It will be retrieved from storage when a suitable workshop under the program commences. The date for this is slated to be in Q1 2026.
The Silent Mentor Program takes measures to honor the donor's wishes and for their body to be treated with dignity. As part of the workshop, students will also learn about Chin Chin's life and family, on top of her medical history and ailments.
You can read more about the Silent Mentor program on their website here.
Upon completion of the program, a small procession will take place at the university campus. Chin Chin's body will then be cremated.
Chin Chin's wish is for her ashes to be cast to sea.